Advertising device



H. E. NOCK ADVERTISING DEVICE Jan. 18,1927. v 1,615,030

Filed August 10, 1923 Patented Jan. 18, 1927.

UNITED STATESv PATENT OFFICE.

HAROLD E. NOGK, OF NEWBUBYPORT, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO TOWLE MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, OF NEWBURYPOBT, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

ADVERTISING :onvron.

Application filed August 10, 1923. Serial No. 656,679.

This invention relates to advertising de vices, and more particularly to that type of such devices in which the article to be ad vertised is itself employed, in combination with a novel holder such as a plaque or other supporting medium, hereinafter to be described, to direct and impel attention to the articles attractive features and characteristics.

In order to explain the invention it will be described as applied to the advertisement or display of table flatware in jewelers and silversmiths show windows, 011 their counters, or walls, or in other and usual places where the advertising of such wares is desirable.

Many efforts have heretofore been made to advertise table flatware in an attractive manner. Sometimes a set of flatware is displayed by being fastened to a plain piece of cardboard. At other times a number of flatware pieces are fitted in a rectangular tray which provides a peripheral margin having a plain edge or of some known picture moulding design.

In all of these prior efforts, within the knowledge of the present inventor, no attempt hasbeen made to direct attention to the beauty of the flatware to be advertised by means of the mechanical construction of the flatware holder or other supporting medium. For this reason none of the advertising devices of the prior art utilize the underlying novel feature of the present invention, and do not approach its appeal or perfection of display.

The object of the present invention is to provide a holder or other support 'for the article to be advertised, for example a piece,

= or pieces of table flatware, so constructed,

arranged and related to a significant charactcristic, or portion of the design of the supported article that prospective purchasers cannot fail to be first attracted, and thenled to give the characteristic features of the article close examination.

To the accomplishment of this object the invention comprises the features and combinations of parts hereinafter described and then particularly pointed out in the "appended claims. The preferred form of the invention, as embodied in a plaque for advertising ta l flatware, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which;

Figure 1 is a view of the advertising plaque, in front elevation, with three flatware pieces secured thereon-in display position; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the plaque shown in F ig. 1, this view showing the plaque as provided with a supporting leg for counter or window display; and Fig. 3 is a view, in horizontal section, on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings the advertising or display device is shown in the form of a plaque for either window and counter, or wall display. In its general construction the plaque comprises a frame portion 4: provided with a base or stand portion 6, which are preferably of metal; a frame filler 8, preferably of wood; a filler covering 10, usually of velvet; means on the front or frame face of the filler for supporting the table flatware pieces thereon, such as velvet covered holding blocks 11, 12 and 13; and,

for counter and like display positions, a

folding picture frame leg 14 on the back of the frame filler. After the frame 4 and its filler block 8 have been formed, in the novel manner now to be described, they are secured together in any convenient manner, as by the nails 15. The plaque is then ready to "receive the article or pieces selected for advertising display, as the knife, fork and spoon 16, 17 and 18, which are placed in the holding blocks, in position as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and the device may then be placed in the location selected for advertising purposes. I

The novel and important features and the utility of the invention will now be described. The design of the flatware shown inthe drawing for illustrative purposes discloses the DOrleans pattern in solid silver. see design patent to Harold E. NockNo.

63, 130, December 4-, 1923. In this pattern the characteristic featuresof decoration are a flowered border on the handle, with a central tip ornament, an inner bead, and a basket offlowers at the lower end of a cen tral panel, and the'oharacteristic features of configuration comprise the artistic outline of the tip of the handle and the. form of the central raised panel. In order that this DOrleans pattern, or other pattern selected for advertising display may be displayed in such a manner as to draw the prospective purchasers attention and create a desire for a close examination of the beauty of the design, the plaque is so constructed and shaped as to co-relate and combine itself with an important characteristic portion of the sample supported by it, the support and the advertised article thus forming one homogeneous whole.

To this end it will be observed that, in the illustrative embodiment of the invention the frame 4 of the plaque is a substantial reproduction of the border at the outer end of the handle of the DOrl-eans flatware, but on a greatly enlarged scale. A comparison of the frame with the flatware sample shows that itis featured by the same characteristic outline or shape as the end of the handle and is formed with some, but not all, of the characteristic features of the handle, namely the flowered border, the tip ornament, the bottom basket and the inner bead. Referring now more particularly to Fig. 3, wherein cross-sections of the displayed article and of the frame filler 8 are both shown, it will be observed that the front face of the frame tiller may have a formation which -duplicates, on the same scale as that of the frame f, all the shape characteristics of the central raised panel found within the inner bead at the handle end.

Thus, in the illustrated form of the invention, the frame 4, when combined with its filler 8, may form a complete and substantial representation of the pattern of the flat ware sample supported for display thereon. The formation of one part supplements the other part, the combination of parts resulting in a support or background to set off the article to be held thereon and displayed in a manner that perfectly harmonizes with the pattern of the flatware and thus facilitates a presentation and advertising of its beauties to the best advantage. The prospective purchaser quickly sees on the enlarged reproduc tion a feature of the design which is attractive and, because the frame and the article itself present the same detail, the eye follows easily from the enlarged feature to the same characteristic feature in its true proportion on the article itself.

In displaying such articles as pieces of silvervvare it is important that the velvet, or background formed by the fillensupport, be of a contrasting color to silver. It is contemplated that the frame, in its illustrated form he bronzed, gilded or otherwise hand some ly finished.

Since the characteristic feature that usually gives the greatest appeal is the shape of the end portion of the handle of silver flat-ware pieces, the present invention is especially designed to present this feature prominently.

Accordingly the opening in the frame, regardless of the shape of the frame, is always an enlarged, vertically arranged reproduction of the shape of the end portion of the handle of the pattern to be displayed, so that the velvet covered frame filler consistently offers a harmonious background for the piece or pieces that are exposed upon its front face. For displaying a single piece of silver flatware the frame filler 10 will be provided with a single, centrally-arranged holding block of the type that will support the piece in a vertical position and with its l1andle-eud uppermost, so that homologous features of the actual design and the enlarged reproduction formed by the frame opening are adjacent each other. lVhen more than one piece is displayed, as illustrated in the drawing, a like vertical arrangement of the pieces within the frame opening is employed to obtain the same result as nearly as possible. The supports 11, 12 and 13 may be of any suitable construction that will hold the silver piece securely in upright position with its characteristic features fully exposed to view, for example, an open clamp that acts to hold the handle of a piece when it is inserted therein.

It will be understood from the foregoing description that the purpose and object of the invention will be subserved if the plaque or other medium for supporting the article, to which attention is to be drawn, is an enlarged reproduction of a characteristic portion of the article, with suitable means for holding the article thereon and in the relation thereto heretofore described. For displaying some articles, however, better results have been experienced through combining with a sample of the article, a support that is a substantial enlarged reproduction of a unitary part of the article, utilizing both the frame and the filler-support for this purpose. Thus an important consid atiou in the display of some silverware patterns is that the support for the sample be a substantial reproduction of a striking or leading portion of the pattern, the characteristic features of which may be reproduced, partly on the frame and partly on the iillersupport, or on one or the other.

As shown in the drawings the plaque may conveniently be provided with a base panel 20 which may contain the name identifying the particular article or pattern displayed.

-Adjacent said panel .20, on the base 6, other panels 22 may be provided for the words Solid silver, if solid silver is displayed, or other descriptive words. A central representation 24; of the trade mark or other identifying mark of the manufacturer also may be formed on the base. Feet 26 may or may not be added. The features just described may be omitted or changed at will according to the nature of the article displayed.

The term silverware is used in this specification as defining either solid or plated silver.

The nature and scope of the invention having been indicated and its preferred form having been specifically described, that which is claimed as new will be found defined in the following claims, which purposely have been so drawn as to include modifications within the skill of the artisan and the indicated scope of the invention.

I claim 1. A supporting frame for displaying an article of manufacture characterized by a particular shape and design, said frame being characterized by the same shape and design as the article to be displayed thereon, in enlarged reproduction thereof.

2. A supporting frame for displaying a piece of table silverware of a particular ornamental design,said frame being an enlarged reproduction of characteristic ornamental features of the piece of silverware to be displayed thereon.

3. A supporting frame for displaying a piece of table silverware having an ornamental handle, said frame being an enlarged reproduction of the ornamental features of the handle of the piece of tableware to be displayed thereon.

4. In a device for displaying an article of manufacturecharacterized by an ornamental design and shape, for sale,a supporting frame in enlarged reproduction of the form and design of said article whereby the ornamental design and shape of the article can be more readily discerned, and means on said supporting frame for attaching said HAROLD E. NOCK.

' article thereto. 

